RE: my earlier post. Sarah had a beautiful baby boy. Mother and son doing fine.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A Few Thoughts On March 17th
I cannot think of a place that has consistently more dramatic mornings than the Yellowstone Valley of southeastern Montana. Having traveled over most of this great and beautiful nation, and a few excursions to our beautiful neighbor to the south, Mexico, I have enjoyed many sunrises. But daily, the sunrise from our windows at Fringe Benefit Farm are the most awe inspiring that I've seen.
This morning there is a band of clouds covering much of the sky. I think the arm of a little weather system, or something like that. The rest of the sky has a slight haze. When the sun comes up and illuminates the atmosphere, it is ... well, dramatic...
I am feeling veery greatful to be alive to see the beauty of God's Earth today. Today I celebrate 27 years in recovery. Thank you God, Thank you Jimmie K., and thank you to all the addicts who have, and continue to give freely of their experience, strength, and hope.
I have to go in to town early today. Our friend Sarah C. is having a baby today. in fact, as I write this, at about 8:12am, they will have just about finished with her C section, and we will soon know whether to send pink, or blue. More will be revealed.
I got a huge dose of food poisoning. Not sure where it came from, but I sure know where it went. I spent most of the day in bed yesterday, except for going in to teach my Tuesday afternoon Bible study. I didn't really want to, but spiritual things are more important than the flesh. I did not give my usual round of hugs after the study. It might have been just a little poisoning, but in case it wasn't, I didn't want to take any chances.
As you may know, I minister in Nursing homes, and I sure didn't want to give those dear folk any diseases. You see, in our spiritual walk, we must not only give honor and praise to God, but also show love to our fellow human.
There is still frost on the deck this morning. The fields around have patches of snow left on them. Very interesting to watch nature at work.
We have a new cat. Her name is Moka. She's a Siamese, with all the endearing traits of the breed. We adopted her from Pet Smart in Billings. This morning I let her out to commune with Kathryn while was out smoking. Moka DOES NOT like walking on the frosty surface. It is, after all beneath her station. I once saw a lady wearing a tee shirt that said "Because I'm the queen of the f-----g universe, that's why!" I ought to get one for Moka. She has evidently been kept indoors all her life, and is still learning how to operate the cat door. If she has her way, she would make us open it for her whenever she wants to go out or in. I figure the first rainstorm, she goes out, and stays there until she comes in through the cat door all by herself. Cruel? maybe, but it works. See, I understand Siamese cats. They're addicts. Those of you who suffer this disease will comprehend my meaning.
Time to get showered and head in to town. I want to spend some time with Sarah before I have to go to work.
Agape
Lee
This morning there is a band of clouds covering much of the sky. I think the arm of a little weather system, or something like that. The rest of the sky has a slight haze. When the sun comes up and illuminates the atmosphere, it is ... well, dramatic...
I am feeling veery greatful to be alive to see the beauty of God's Earth today. Today I celebrate 27 years in recovery. Thank you God, Thank you Jimmie K., and thank you to all the addicts who have, and continue to give freely of their experience, strength, and hope.
I have to go in to town early today. Our friend Sarah C. is having a baby today. in fact, as I write this, at about 8:12am, they will have just about finished with her C section, and we will soon know whether to send pink, or blue. More will be revealed.
I got a huge dose of food poisoning. Not sure where it came from, but I sure know where it went. I spent most of the day in bed yesterday, except for going in to teach my Tuesday afternoon Bible study. I didn't really want to, but spiritual things are more important than the flesh. I did not give my usual round of hugs after the study. It might have been just a little poisoning, but in case it wasn't, I didn't want to take any chances.
As you may know, I minister in Nursing homes, and I sure didn't want to give those dear folk any diseases. You see, in our spiritual walk, we must not only give honor and praise to God, but also show love to our fellow human.
There is still frost on the deck this morning. The fields around have patches of snow left on them. Very interesting to watch nature at work.
We have a new cat. Her name is Moka. She's a Siamese, with all the endearing traits of the breed. We adopted her from Pet Smart in Billings. This morning I let her out to commune with Kathryn while was out smoking. Moka DOES NOT like walking on the frosty surface. It is, after all beneath her station. I once saw a lady wearing a tee shirt that said "Because I'm the queen of the f-----g universe, that's why!" I ought to get one for Moka. She has evidently been kept indoors all her life, and is still learning how to operate the cat door. If she has her way, she would make us open it for her whenever she wants to go out or in. I figure the first rainstorm, she goes out, and stays there until she comes in through the cat door all by herself. Cruel? maybe, but it works. See, I understand Siamese cats. They're addicts. Those of you who suffer this disease will comprehend my meaning.
Time to get showered and head in to town. I want to spend some time with Sarah before I have to go to work.
Agape
Lee
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Love Never Fails
1 Corinthians 13 (New International Version)
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
One of the things a Christian is told to do, is love one another. Love in this case, is the Greek Agape.
- From Wikipedia - Agape (Christian theology) the love of God or Christ for mankind. (pronounced /ˈæɡə.piː/ AG-ə-pee;[1] and sometimes /əˈɡɑː.peɪ/ ə-GAH-pay after the Classical Greek agápē; Modern Greek: αγάπη [aˈɣapi]), also called parental love, is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. Although the word does not have specific religious connotation, the word has been used by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors and Christian authors. Thomas Jay Oord has defined agape as "an intentional response to promote well-being when responding to that which has generated ill-being."[citation needed] In his book, The Pilgrimage, author Paulo Coelho defines it as "the love that consumes," i.e., the highest and purest form of love, one that surpasses all other types of affection. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato and other ancient authors have used forms of the word to denote love of a spouse or family, or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia—an affection that could denote either brotherhood or generally non-sexual affection, and eros, an affection of a sexual nature.
Here's the deal. I don't have to like you. I have to Love you. We are, in the flesh, at least, at the core, not so different one from another. Our feelings, needs, passions, lusts, and so on. If I don't love you, because you are what you are, I am disobeying Jesus' command. I don't have to like what you do, or say, or act, but I have to love you. Love you like one of my children.
Sometimes you might do something to me, that hurts my feelings. Wounds me to the core. But I still have to love you.
It has always astounded me that someone who loves you so much as to marry you, can hate you so bad. You say something, or do something that offends them, and they suddenly hate you, take your money, property, and children, then speak badly of you at every occasion.
Someone like that never did love you. They only loved themselves. Trust me, I am an expert at this, having been a donor and a recipient.
When two people can no longer live together, because they "can't stand the sight of each other," we have to remember agape. And even when we, after much prayer, meditation, and counseling, come to the conclusion that it would be better to live apart, we must not, as Christians, forget to agape one another.
But - (Don't you just love that caveat?) that doesn't mean that we have to be all buddy buddy with each other either. It does mean we have to forgive one another's trespasses. AND, go on an live your life, trying your very best to never wound another person again.
Jesus loves you, and "Love Never Fails.
That's my message today.
Agape
Lee
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Hearing Aids
I got some new hearing aids yesterday. Kathryn had been on me to do it for some time, but whenever she would say something about it, I would just grin and say “hunh?”
I had worn hearing aids some years back, and was thoroughly unimpressed. First of all, they were uncomfortable. If I were just reading, or talking, they were fine, but the moment I ate, drank, swallowed, laughed, or yawned, or just about anything else, they HURT LIKE HELL. Plus, they never worked properly. I could never get the provider to adjust them so that I could hear well. Once, a technician came out from the factory, and got them so that they worked properly. When I went back in a month or so later to have them cleaned, the local guy said. “Oh! These are all wrong, and adjusted them back to the “can’t hear worth a darn” mode. I threw the (I was going to say sons-of-bitches but that’s not proper language for a man of the cloth) things away, and went back to being partially deaf. Kathryn called it something about a post, but I couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
So anyway, I went up to Billings and ordered some new ones from a place that had come well recommended by a friend who had similar problems as me, and was satisfied with the results.
Long story short. They seem to work fine. I can hear quite well, and they don’t hurt. I got the kind that fit over the top of the ear, and have a very small speaker that goes just barely inside the ear canal.
I am able to listen to the TV without having the sound turned up to what Kathryn seems to think is wall shaking volume, and still hear what’s going on in the room. I can hear myself breathe for the first time since I started playing drums in the late 1940s. Kinda neat.
Of course, this is only the second day I’ve worn them, so, as Bill Wilson said in one of his Anonymously penned books, “More will be revealed. But for now, to paraphrase the scripture, “All I know is, I was deaf, but now I hear.”
Agape
Lee
I had worn hearing aids some years back, and was thoroughly unimpressed. First of all, they were uncomfortable. If I were just reading, or talking, they were fine, but the moment I ate, drank, swallowed, laughed, or yawned, or just about anything else, they HURT LIKE HELL. Plus, they never worked properly. I could never get the provider to adjust them so that I could hear well. Once, a technician came out from the factory, and got them so that they worked properly. When I went back in a month or so later to have them cleaned, the local guy said. “Oh! These are all wrong, and adjusted them back to the “can’t hear worth a darn” mode. I threw the (I was going to say sons-of-bitches but that’s not proper language for a man of the cloth) things away, and went back to being partially deaf. Kathryn called it something about a post, but I couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
So anyway, I went up to Billings and ordered some new ones from a place that had come well recommended by a friend who had similar problems as me, and was satisfied with the results.
Long story short. They seem to work fine. I can hear quite well, and they don’t hurt. I got the kind that fit over the top of the ear, and have a very small speaker that goes just barely inside the ear canal.
I am able to listen to the TV without having the sound turned up to what Kathryn seems to think is wall shaking volume, and still hear what’s going on in the room. I can hear myself breathe for the first time since I started playing drums in the late 1940s. Kinda neat.
Of course, this is only the second day I’ve worn them, so, as Bill Wilson said in one of his Anonymously penned books, “More will be revealed. But for now, to paraphrase the scripture, “All I know is, I was deaf, but now I hear.”
Agape
Lee
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Politics
I hate politics. I've been involved in politics since about 1964, when under the tutelage of the late Jimmie Thommason, I helped get a judge elected in a small town in California. Outside of Jesus Christ, and of course, my wife, it has been one of the consuming passions of my life.
Is it me? or are the politicians getting stupider and stupider? All I can see are closed minded, selfish idiots, whose only thought is destroying the country in the name of their political party.
If you confront them with the facts, they will shout you down, or deride you. The truth, and the true facts have no place in their lives. Only "The Party."
First of all, look what a one party system did to Russia, and China, and Argentina, and Germany, and Spain, Italy. Now, some of those parties were right wing, some of them left wing, but all of them turned out to be dictatorships. The people of the nations suffered, and in some cases, still suffer.
This is not about a single political party system, or a multi party system, It's about a NO PARTY system.
If you read the Constitution of The United States of America, you will find no mention of, or reference to, political parties. Yet, political parties are controlling our nation. And it's unconstitutional!
Think about it. Do political parties have anything to do with "We The People"? The answer is a resounding NO! Yet political parties have perverted our laws so that in most states one is not allowed to vote if he is not registered in one of them. Or, if he belongs to one of the parties in which there is no candidate running, he is not allowed to vote.
I firmly believe this is wrong, and un-American. Is there anything I can do about it? Well, for one thing, I have posted this for all the world to see.
I am no longer a member of any political party. I am not a Republican, I am not a Democrat, I am not a Libertarian. I am a "Free Independent American" with no party affiliation.
Political parties have largely brought the USA to the low point that it is today, and I for one, hate it, and them.
God says I have to love people, but He never said that I can't hate bad ideas. I can't kill people over those ideas with which I disagree, but I can still say so in this yet free America.
If those stupid people who are marching in lock step, blinded by their political party leaders, would first, read the Constitution of The United States of America, then reread it, and reread it, and reread it, and study it, and take it for exactly what it is; the framework for government Of, For, and By, We-The-People, we might begin to have a better informed electorate. Of course a well informed electorate is a dangerous thing to political parties. Isn't it?
Lee
Is it me? or are the politicians getting stupider and stupider? All I can see are closed minded, selfish idiots, whose only thought is destroying the country in the name of their political party.
If you confront them with the facts, they will shout you down, or deride you. The truth, and the true facts have no place in their lives. Only "The Party."
First of all, look what a one party system did to Russia, and China, and Argentina, and Germany, and Spain, Italy. Now, some of those parties were right wing, some of them left wing, but all of them turned out to be dictatorships. The people of the nations suffered, and in some cases, still suffer.
This is not about a single political party system, or a multi party system, It's about a NO PARTY system.
If you read the Constitution of The United States of America, you will find no mention of, or reference to, political parties. Yet, political parties are controlling our nation. And it's unconstitutional!
Think about it. Do political parties have anything to do with "We The People"? The answer is a resounding NO! Yet political parties have perverted our laws so that in most states one is not allowed to vote if he is not registered in one of them. Or, if he belongs to one of the parties in which there is no candidate running, he is not allowed to vote.
I firmly believe this is wrong, and un-American. Is there anything I can do about it? Well, for one thing, I have posted this for all the world to see.
I am no longer a member of any political party. I am not a Republican, I am not a Democrat, I am not a Libertarian. I am a "Free Independent American" with no party affiliation.
Political parties have largely brought the USA to the low point that it is today, and I for one, hate it, and them.
God says I have to love people, but He never said that I can't hate bad ideas. I can't kill people over those ideas with which I disagree, but I can still say so in this yet free America.
If those stupid people who are marching in lock step, blinded by their political party leaders, would first, read the Constitution of The United States of America, then reread it, and reread it, and reread it, and study it, and take it for exactly what it is; the framework for government Of, For, and By, We-The-People, we might begin to have a better informed electorate. Of course a well informed electorate is a dangerous thing to political parties. Isn't it?
Lee
Sunday, February 14, 2010
A Wedding
I conducted the most beautiful wedding ceremonies I have ever done, yesterday.
I was privileged to marry my friends Joel and Kassie. The love was so thick on that platform that you couldn't even see the gathered congregation. The words were the same, but there was just something different about this.
The ceremony was in the recently remodeled Living Way Fellowship, a Foursquare Church, in Miles City. They have blocked off all the windows, done away with the auditorium lights, painted it black, with a little beige on the walls, and turned it into a TV production studio/concert hall. The pews have been removed and replaced with meeting room chairs that can be quickly moved to provide space for productions or the more physical forms of worship. It is an exciting place to go to watch the show. The lighting is professional , the television equipment is very modern, and the sound system is excellent. I was wired with a small microphone, and was able to speak in a quiet voice. Very intimate, yet everyone in the room could hear.
I have seldom seen a couple so much in love. It just poured out of them. I wish you could have been there.
Agape
Lee
I was privileged to marry my friends Joel and Kassie. The love was so thick on that platform that you couldn't even see the gathered congregation. The words were the same, but there was just something different about this.
The ceremony was in the recently remodeled Living Way Fellowship, a Foursquare Church, in Miles City. They have blocked off all the windows, done away with the auditorium lights, painted it black, with a little beige on the walls, and turned it into a TV production studio/concert hall. The pews have been removed and replaced with meeting room chairs that can be quickly moved to provide space for productions or the more physical forms of worship. It is an exciting place to go to watch the show. The lighting is professional , the television equipment is very modern, and the sound system is excellent. I was wired with a small microphone, and was able to speak in a quiet voice. Very intimate, yet everyone in the room could hear.
I have seldom seen a couple so much in love. It just poured out of them. I wish you could have been there.
Agape
Lee
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Funny Story
It's sunny today. The sunlight reflecting off of the snow is blinding. The sky is Montana Blue. Look in your box of Crayolas, and pick out the one marked "Azure", That's Montana Blue.
There are a lot of little animal tracks in the snow. One is, I think, a Fox. You can see where it has been sniffing around for little mousies.
"Love to eat them mousies . . .
Mousies what I love to eat!
Bite they little heads off,
Nibble on they tiny feet!"
B. Kliban
I have been, as usual, sitting at the confuser all morning, reading my mail, and webcomics. From time to time, I wander into the kitchen, get a cup of coffee, then head back into my lair. You could call it a den, but Bears have dens, and us cats don't like bears, so we have lairs. Officially, I guess you could call it an Office, or a Study, but if you could see the state of disarray in which it is in, you would agree with my previous assessment.
I have to go in to town a little early today. Have a business meeting, and need to stop by the pharmacy. The Drug Store operates out of the back of some guy's van.
Thinking of that, here's a true story from the bad-old-days.
We were living in a little house on the beach in Oxnard. One of the young men in the neighborhood had a dope route. Now, I don't know if that goes on today, because I have been out of that lifestyle for many years, but at the time, it was fairly common.
He started out on foot, carrying a paper shopping bag with pot in it. He was evidently fairly well connected, because he usually had several variaties from which to choose.
His business gres, and he was able to buy a bicycle with a basket on it. Bigger bags, larger selection of merchandise.
The guy was a good salesman, and his prices were reasonable. He kept tract of his customer's needs. How much, how often, etc. He almost always had "a little something special" of which he would share a sample, and we would end up buying what ever it was. I must say that whatever it happened to be, it was always mind blowingly special. Remind me, and I will tell you the story about the Penguin, one day.
Well. Business got better, and his increased mobility created a larger client base, and better income. This allowed him to buy a motorcycle. It had nice saddle bags in which he carried an ever increasing supply.
Now, mind you, this was all done in broad daylight. We were all a bunch of young hippies living colorfully at the beach. No one thought it odd that young folk wandered around visiting one another, drinking coffee, and visiting. He said it was safer to just blend in with the community.
In a month or two, he showed up with a car. I don't know where he came up with it, but it was what I think they called a "Salesman's coupe". It had a large trunk with shelves in it. We used to see the Fuller Brush man, and the Watkins man driving them. He would pop open that trunk lid, and, even after all these years, it makes my eyes red just thinking about it.
Then one day he took a bunch of acid, got paranoid, and turned himself in to the police. Within three days about 150 people moved out of the neighborhood, leaving no forwarding address.
Enough of that.mI have to go to work.
Agape
Lee
There are a lot of little animal tracks in the snow. One is, I think, a Fox. You can see where it has been sniffing around for little mousies.
"Love to eat them mousies . . .
Mousies what I love to eat!
Bite they little heads off,
Nibble on they tiny feet!"
B. Kliban
I have been, as usual, sitting at the confuser all morning, reading my mail, and webcomics. From time to time, I wander into the kitchen, get a cup of coffee, then head back into my lair. You could call it a den, but Bears have dens, and us cats don't like bears, so we have lairs. Officially, I guess you could call it an Office, or a Study, but if you could see the state of disarray in which it is in, you would agree with my previous assessment.
I have to go in to town a little early today. Have a business meeting, and need to stop by the pharmacy. The Drug Store operates out of the back of some guy's van.
Thinking of that, here's a true story from the bad-old-days.
We were living in a little house on the beach in Oxnard. One of the young men in the neighborhood had a dope route. Now, I don't know if that goes on today, because I have been out of that lifestyle for many years, but at the time, it was fairly common.
He started out on foot, carrying a paper shopping bag with pot in it. He was evidently fairly well connected, because he usually had several variaties from which to choose.
His business gres, and he was able to buy a bicycle with a basket on it. Bigger bags, larger selection of merchandise.
The guy was a good salesman, and his prices were reasonable. He kept tract of his customer's needs. How much, how often, etc. He almost always had "a little something special" of which he would share a sample, and we would end up buying what ever it was. I must say that whatever it happened to be, it was always mind blowingly special. Remind me, and I will tell you the story about the Penguin, one day.
Well. Business got better, and his increased mobility created a larger client base, and better income. This allowed him to buy a motorcycle. It had nice saddle bags in which he carried an ever increasing supply.
Now, mind you, this was all done in broad daylight. We were all a bunch of young hippies living colorfully at the beach. No one thought it odd that young folk wandered around visiting one another, drinking coffee, and visiting. He said it was safer to just blend in with the community.
In a month or two, he showed up with a car. I don't know where he came up with it, but it was what I think they called a "Salesman's coupe". It had a large trunk with shelves in it. We used to see the Fuller Brush man, and the Watkins man driving them. He would pop open that trunk lid, and, even after all these years, it makes my eyes red just thinking about it.
Then one day he took a bunch of acid, got paranoid, and turned himself in to the police. Within three days about 150 people moved out of the neighborhood, leaving no forwarding address.
Enough of that.mI have to go to work.
Agape
Lee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
